Garter



July 21, 1931. G. ABRAHAM GARTER Filed Jan. 10, 1951 Patented July 21, 1931 PATENT OFFICE 'GABRIE'L ABRAHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VGARTER Application filed January 10, 1931. Serial No. 507,829.

This invention relates to apparel supporting or holding devices, and includes, for example, garters, and also to methods of making the same. 7

One object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described, including a band having an improved angular construction, whereby a simple and rugged device is produced, which is neat in appearance and in which the stresses are so distributed and taken up as to prevent distortion of the angular construction and to cause an increased life of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature set forth wherein an angular or other structure includes in improved relation 21. re-enforcement and back element which may also aiford a superior loop anchorage for fastening devices.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the class alluded to wherein a band may have an improved engagement with a slitted portion of a pad, and the parts of the latter may have unitary interengagement with each other and with the band.

Another object ofthe invention is to furnish a garter having improved metallic fastening elements, and improved mountings therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable supporting device including elastic and inelastic bands co-ordinated in. an improved manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved methods of making a. device such as a garter, so that the expense of manufacture may be kept as low as possible. d

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims. and illustrated on the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary planiview ofa device embodying the invention.

At the ends of the band, may be provided Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a step in the manufacture of a garter.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the broken line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary plan view of a modification of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View of a further modification.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the broken line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of still another modification.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole. j

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several dif ferent constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 denotes a device embodying the invention, the principles of which are applicable to various 30 types of supporters, such as belts, suspenders, or garters, particularly the latter. A garter so constructedmay include a band 11 which is elastic or inelastic, preferably the former. To snugly fit around the leg of the wearer, this garter may have an angular construction 12, at which depends a conventional holding device 13 engageable with a sock.

suitable fastening elements such as 14, 15 which are engageable with each other to hold the garteraround the leg.

The angular construction 12 may be provided in various ways, but is preferably 50 arranged that it is proof against distortion due to longitudinal stresses in the garter and also the pull exerted by the holder 13. Moreover, the arrangement must permit rapid, inexpensive manufacturing and produce a 1 device which is neat in appearance and convenient to wear.

Accordingly the angular construction 12 may be made by first folding the band but once upon itself, at any suitable point, as shown at 16, thus providing the band portions 11a and 11?). Then the corner portion 17 may be removed to form a thin garter by a cut along a line 18 which may extend to the point 19 and thus sever the band in two, but preferably said cut is in spaced relation to said point and intersects the fold line 16 at 20. Thus a portion 21 remains at the fold line which integrally connects the parts 11a and 11b of the band. Now, a backing element 22 is made, of any suitable material, such as leather, fabric, or the like, which element may be equal in width with the band, and extend from 23 to 24. This backing element may be of angular form, and placed so that the apex ofthe angle lies at 19, the backing element being thus adapted to coincide with the garter band as hereinafter described. Now the strip 25 ofthe holder 13 is placed underneath angular portions of the band, but above the backing element 22, and a line of stitching or other fastening 26 formed from the point 19 to the angle 27, whereby the band portions 11a and 111), the holder 13 and the backing element 22 are all accurately interengaged in one operation. Finally, the band portion 11?) is folded over toward the right, about the line of stitching 26, so that a neat blind stitched seam 28 is ob tained, and additional lines of stitching 29, 30, 31, and 32 are formed, constituting a pad structure, or the equivalent.

The interconnecting portion 21 is important in preserving an integral lower edge at the point 20, so that additional tacking or finishing may be rmnecessary to prevent a rough or unraveling edge in the webbing.

This promotes a rapid manufacture. However, the cut at 18 may also be made to extend completely across the band, or may be omitted.

The backing element 22 performs multiple functions, among which may be mentioned, lirst, that it takes up the pull of the holder 13 and distributes it evenly to the band, across the entire width thereof preventing distortion at the angle especially if the band he of an elastic material. Secondly, it carries the longitudinal pull along the garter at the angle, not only preventing distortion of the angle, but also preventing the seam 28 from opening or loosening and exposing the stitches. A third function may reside in connection with thefastener-15, if desired, whereby the'stress may thus be transmitted across the angle 12. It may be understood that whilethe backing element is preferably nonelasti'c, it may also be elastic, and still perform, though in a somewhat lesser degree, the functions stated. A fourth function is that the backing element acts to conceal the seams, and connected in course of forming the angle mentioned. Finally, it will be seen that the line of stitching 30 is diagonal to the band so that stress caused by the holder 13 is substantially uniformly transmitted to the band portion 116 without kinking of the latter.

The fastener 15 may include a plurality of parallel spaced bars 33, 34, 35 interconnected by the bars 36 so as to permit the band portion to be passed over the bars 33, 35 and under the bar This fastener lies above the backing element 22, and the end of the band portion 11a may be infolded at 37 and stitched to the backing element at 38: The fastener 15 is thus retained by the spacer bars 33 and 35 between the lines of stitching 29 and 38, and the central bar 34 may have a suitable fastener portion 39, spaced from the end of the garter and engageable with the hook 40, or the like, of the fastener 14. In attached relation, the latter lies above the band portion 11a so that no' part of the metallic fastening may touch the leg of the wearer.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a modification of the invention, including a garter having a scam 28a similarly constructed with the device shown in Fig. 1, but the backing element:

is differently arranged. The latter may include a piece of strong leather, fabric, or other pliable material 41 cut to coincide with the angle and between which and the band, the strip 25 of the holder 13 may be secured in any suitable manner. The band may include a separate angular portion 43 consisting of the parts 43a and 43b. The ends 44, 45 of the backing element may be folded over the parts 43a and 437) as shown. A fastening loop 46 is engaged with the end 45, andthe other end may have a hole 46a through which is forced the fastener head 47, which may have a disc or plate anchorage 48. The ends 44, 45 are then secured by lines of stitching 49 50 and 51, 52 respectively, whereby the backing element is securely engaged with the angularband portion 43, and the fastening elements strongly anchored. All strain caused by the fastening elements is thus borne by the backing element which is well adapted to withstand wear. No separate stitching is required for the fastener 47 The end 53 may be severed at the corners to produce a rounded form, if desired.

The elastic band 54may be engaged in any suitable manner with the fastener 46. At the free end of said band may be provided a finishing piece55 of leather or the like lying on one or both sides of the band, and stitched thereto at 56. A; loop or ring member 57 may be inserted, stitched in place at 58, and engageable with the fastener 47.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown'another modification of the invention which may include a garter having a novel pad 59. Thesame may be made of a plurality of plies of leather or fabric, including an outer layer 60. The latter has aplurality of slits 61, 62 providinga tongue 63 therebetween. Aband or webbingmember 64 which may be of elastic material is passed through the successive slits so as to overlie the tongue 63. As the slits snugly fit the band 64, the latter is by this fact securely retained in definite angular relation to the member 60, so that the manufacture of the garter is thus simplified. The fastener 47 is then inserted, a backing member 65 applied, and the members 60, 65 stitched together by marginal stitching at 66 and the stitching at 67 along the slits. Thus in one act, the pad is constructed and attached to the garter band, and the fastener secured in place. During the stitching, the band 64 need not be held, so that the operators hands are free to control and guide the stitching.

l/Vhile the member 6a may be inelastic, it is preferably elastic, and of any desired length, less than that of the garter as a whole, so that a saving in the relatively expensive elastic webbing may be obtained; and the band being completed for its required length by a different elastic or nonelastic member as the case may be., In this case the band includes a nonelastic member 68 secured to member 64 in any suitable manner, for example, by a loop element 69. The latter may be secured to the member 6& by a stitched fold 70 and may engage a conventional fold of the member 68, which may be adjusted by a well known slide member 71 to control the length of the garter. It will be understood that the garter principle herein described is applicable to devices of different kinds, and to any well known garter or pad structure.

The free end 7 2 of the band 68 may have a fastener 7 3 which may be made of wire forming a loop and laterally extending shanks 7 4. This fastener may be placed upon an infolded portion 75 of the band, and a strip of re-enforcement or leather 76 placed thereover and secured by a rectangular line of stitching 77.

In Fig. 8 is shown a further modification which may be exactly similar to the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, except that the backing element 220 has an edge 24a extending along a longer diagonal line, so that the point 7 8 is at a greater distance from the angle of the garter. This causes the band portion 11b to lie smoothly without any possibility of a It will be appreciated that various features herein disclosed may be interchangeably used and associated in different combinations, and other features may be omitted.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawings, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A garter made of strip material and having a fold at an angle thereto, a corner of the fold being cut away along a diagonal line leaving the parts of the strip integrally connected at one edge, said parts being stitched together along a diagonal line whereby said parts form an angle in the flat oppositely extending relation of said parts, a fastening member at an end of the band spaced fromsaid fold, and a separate backing element having an angle coinciding with the angle aforesaid, said element being secured to the band at opposite portions of the fold and being further secured to the end of the band at said fastening member.

2. A garment supporter having a band ncluding parts interconnected at a down ward extending angle, a depending garment holder secured at the angle, and a pliable reenforcing element extending along said angle, said element having a narrow upward projecting portion extending at an angle across and secured to a part of the band in proximity to said angle, the second mentioned angle being less than one-half of the first angle, so as to cause a yielding gradual stress transmission to said band part and prevent kinking thereof due to the pull on the holder.

3. A garment supporter having a band provided with parts interconnected along a line diagonal to the band to provide a downward extending angle, a garment holder secured to the band at said diagonal line, and a backing for the band including an angular element secured to the band adjacent to the fold line, said element having one edge disposed at an acute angle to said diagonal line, said element having a second edge in coincidence with the adjacent upper edge of the band.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GABRIEL ABRAHAM.

kink in the upper edge 79 of the garter due to the pull of the holder 13. The acute angular shape or projecting portion of the backing element affords a yielding reenforcement so that the member 116 maintains a straight line or at any rate a uniform gradual curve, and said projecting portion may form an angle less than onehalf the angle formed by l the band itself. 

